Antithumb-sucking device



Mardi 31, 1953 M. F. NEWMARK I ANTITHUMB-SUCKING DEVICE' Filed Jan. 2'I 1952 Mars/1a# /T' Newmark plied to thelthumb of achilds hand.:` a a elevational view of the rear ofl Patented Mar. 31, 1953 AN TITHUMB- SUCKING DEVICE Marshall F.. New1'ark, La Mesa, Calif., assgnor to Progressive Products, Inc., La Mesa, Calif.,

a corporation of California Application Jennery 21, 1952A, serial No. 267,474

s claims. 01. 12s-13s) 1 -This invention relates to thumb .orfiingelg guards:` and more .particularly tol guards lwhose primary purpose` is .to prevent and .discourage the habitof thumb or finger sucking. A.

. Angimportant object ofthe invention is to provide ,va'gguard of they characterabove whichis madeyof a :material which offersno danger ofV injury to a childs mouth and which is durable andsanitarypandwhch guard is` afforded a design most effective in. the performance of .the purpose for which it isintended. Another object ofthe invention is the` provision of aguard formed` of a pliablematerial having-a construction embodying` a series oflv ribs and Iperforations which in:cooperationprevent the formation of a vacuum and offer no resistance' to the suckingL action whichencouragesthe habit of'thumb and finger sucking. A

. `Another object ,of the invention resides in the provision of a thumb or finger guard having an improved construction permitting `its ready and convenient attachment to a childs hand, which construction is non-chang, and further `is one which .does not prevent use of the thumb or iinger in the picking up or graspingfof objects.

'Otherobjects and features of the present invention will be readily apparent'to those `skilled* inthe art' from the following specification and appended. drawing `wherein is illustratedV a preformed form of the invention, andfin which:

v"Figure ".1 is 1a "perspective view 'illustrating a guardAl embodying the present invention. vand Vap-` Figure .2 is an tlieguard; "il" i Figure B 'is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of Figure 2. f. 1

' Figurelil-is 'a-s'ectional'viewxtaken along the line IV-IV of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view` taken ron the line V-VofFigure 2. j j f Having reference nowywith greater particularityto the -drawingsg'a guard, constructed in accordance .with the `present invention, is indicated therein generallyby the numeral I0,.and in Figur'e 1' islshowny applied to the thumb ofaninfantshand. i 1 y i Guard III comprises an elongated, generally cylindrical cup or cap portion I2 constructed andshaped to t upon a thumb orfiinger.- The outer or closed end-:I3 of cup portion I2"is rounded andfhas 'an' aperture- I4 provided centrallyltherein;r `f The opposite' and open end of cap I2 is of a diameter which will readily receive afthum-b, or finger. '1 Integral with and depending from the lower end of cup portion I2 is a tongue portion I5 which is generally arcuate in cross-section. Cup portion4 I2, as shown, is of a length which adapts it toV encase the thumb to a point just below the rst joint thereof. Tongue portion I5 extends from cap I2 longitudinally along the back ofthe thumb and terminates at the wrist. The generally concave formation of tongue portion I 5 is provided to adapt it to conform closely to the contour of Athe thumb and hand so as notfto be easily dislodged therefrom.

The material employed in the construction fof guardV III may be rubber, such as 4gum rubber, orga suitable plastic, such as Vinylite,4 a vinyl chlorio'Ie-vinyll acetate resin,or any-other flexible, resilient material which will have no tendency to injure theinfants mouth and which will not materially restrict the thumb or finger in bending.

As shown, the inner surface of the elongated tongue portion I5 is provided with a series of circumferentiallyk spaced, longitudinally extending integral ribs I6 separated by grooves I1. It is noted that the ribs IB extend from the outer end I8 of tongue portion I5 along the entire length of this portion and into the rounded outer end `I3 of the cap I2 converging toward and terminating short of opening I4 therein. It is further noted that only that portonof the interior wall surface of cup I2 which is in effect anv extension `of tongue portion I5 is ribbed-the remainder of the interior wall surface, that which fits upon-the inner surface or pad of the thumb, is smooth. Thus approximatelyvhalf 'of the interior wallsurface is ribbed and half is smooth. Providing 'la' smooth,V portion permits a Y user `to graspobjects more easily. The ribs I6 are adapted to lieuponfthe-skin of the thumb and their spacingissuch that the skin cannot llthe` grooves I'I between the ribs, thus the ribs I6 -deline a plurality of unrestricted air passages open-y ing to the exterior at the lower end of tongue porralitycf rows `of perforations 2l are provided be-V tween adjacent pairs of ribs inthe tongue por.-

tion. I5 and cap I2 through the bottom wallsv of thekvariousgrooves or air passages I 'I. By effect-- inga construction which prevents the formationl tlf-a yacuum and which allows air to enter freely into the mouth, no resistance is oiferedgto thesucking leffort and thereforey no sensation is realizedcwhich wouldY encouraged continued sucking.

end of said tongue portion for securingsaid guard to the wrist of the hand.

8. A-thumb or finger guard comprising a generally cylindrical cap portion of yieldable material having a rounded end with a central aperture therein, said cap portion adapted to fit over a thumb or nger, an integral tongue portion of arcuate form in cross-section depending from said cap Vportion and terminating adjacent the region of the wrist, a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending ribs provided about a portion of the interior wall surfaces of said cap portion with the remaining portion of said interior wall surfaces being smooth, said ribs extending from adjacent the aperture in said rounded end of the cap along the inner wall of Y portion to the aperture in said rounded end, a

plurality of perforations provided through the MARSHALL F. NEWMARK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,633,037 Rood June 21, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain Feb. 3, 1927 

